Technical assistance to users of mobile devices, and especially of mobile phones, and more specifically of smart phones, may present several problems. Often, in order to provide timely support to a user of such a device, it is not possible or convenient to require the user to bring the device to a support center. Therefore, it is often desirable to provide support remotely, without face-to-face contact between the user and a technical support representative.
For example, technical support regarding a mobile device may be provided verbally in the form of a standard telephone conversation via the device. For example, a client seeking assistance with a problem may use the mobile device to call a technical support representative at a technical support center. The support representative may conduct a conversation with the client to identify the problem and provide a solution. For example, the representative may talk the client through one or more steps of operation of the device. The representative may typically be assisted by a printed or electronic guide to the device in conducting the conversation. However, the representative does not directly access the device, or data stored on the device, to ascertain the current status of the device or to operate it. Thus, the client must report the current status of the device to the representative, and perform actions on the device in response to the representative's instructions. Therefore, service may be time consuming or inefficient when verbal communication regarding the device is difficult. For example, the client may not be sufficiently familiar with the device, may not be sufficiently technically skilled, or may not be sufficiently fluent in the language spoken by the representative to enable an efficient and effective conversation. In addition, the configuration of the device may vary from client to client, further complicating verbal communication regarding the device.
Alternatively, support may involve some degree of remote operation of the device by a remote service representative. For example, a service representative may diagnose the device or send data to the device that is installed in the device. For example, such data may include firmware programming or configuration data. However, a decision regarding what data to send may depend on verbal communication as described above, or rely on images acquired by an external video camera that photographs the .device, or on a predefined rules (e.g. for a new device). Often, such remote operation may be based on the Open Mobile Alliance Device Management (OMA-DM) standard that enables remote diagnostics and reconfiguration via Short Message Service (SMS) messages. This standard defines a client application that may reside on the device and can change a basic configuration upon receiving a specific SMS message. Such diagnostic and reconfiguration operation is typically limited to extremely low levels and does not address higher level user-related operation.
Thus, there is a need for a simple and effective way for providing technical and customer support to users of mobile devices.
It is an aim of the present invention to provide for remote operation of mobile devices in a simple and effective manner.
Other aims and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after reading the present invention and reviewing the accompanying drawings.